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Shelter plan progressed on shaky foundation

Published: Tuesday, July 22, 2014 at 11:22 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, July 22, 2014 at 11:22 p.m.

SARASOTA - Last year, the arrival of homelessness consultant Robert Marbut seemed to signal a new day in the community’s struggle with homelessness.

Seeking new answers to the old problem of panhandlers on Sarasota streets and growing homeless camps north of the downtown area, city and county leaders teamed up to hire an expert, Marbut, and listen to his advice.

Even then, it was obvious that the most difficult of Marbut’s recommendations was the creation of a large-scale, come-as-you-are shelter for homeless adults. But with the support of City Hall and federal money, it seemed possible. Indeed, for several months, a 3-2 majority on the City Commission pushed the shelter through early planning stages.

That’s why it might have seemed like an abrupt reversal late Monday when the City Commission voted unanimously to renounce the shelter. But commissioners said it was inevitable because the foundation of support for the shelter was too weak from the beginning.

Commissioner Shannon Snyder broke up the majority Monday by announcing that he would vote against the shelter, and Suzanne Atwell and Paul Caragiulo followed.

Now, if Sarasota County opts to push ahead with the plan, it will be without the city’s help.

City commissioners gave different reasons for Monday’s turn, but pointed to some key factors:

• A politically divided City Commission.

While the County Commission has often been united in pushing the shelter idea forward, city leaders have not. Vice Mayor Susan Chapman and Mayor Willie Shaw were opposed to locating a shelter in the city as soon as it was suggested and have continued to speak against it.

Commissioner Atwell said the lack of unity sent mixed messages to staff and eventually made the city’s position untenable. “We had to work on this together and that was the glitch from the get-go,” she said. “It’s been a struggle.”

• Resistance from residents and business owners.

Shelter discussions have been marked all along by a succession of Sarasota businesses owners and residents opposed to building a shelter. In particular, downtown merchants have opposed sites near the city center.

The same has been true of neighborhood associations in North Sarasota, where the city studied two possible sites. The public pressure buoyed shelter opponents on the commission and did little to encourage supporters.

• Friction among city and county officials.

As the months passed, city and county commissioners increasingly found themselves at odds and personally frustrated with each other, and with others involved in shelter talks.

“Sometimes relationships need a break,” Atwell said. “I think it was getting too divisive, and I think the city was always on the defensive.”

Marbut experienced testy exchanges with Chapman and other commissioners, while City Manager Tom Barwin heard criticism from Snyder, who blames him for the city’s failure to work with the county.

“The city manager just wasn’t going to do it,” Snyder said. “There’s not a majority on the commission that’s going to hold him accountable. They just don’t have the stomach to do it.”

Barwin did not comment Tuesday on Snyder’s criticism.

Snyder and Caragiulo are running for the Sarasota County Commission, competing against each other for the District 2 seat being vacated by the term-limited Joe Barbetta.

Snyder’s support for the shelter was always tenuous, and his withdrawl from the commission’s three-vote majority caused it to collapse.

“I tried telling the City Commission a year ago, ‘Don’t do this,’ ” Snyder said. But once the City Commission voted last year to approve grant money for homeless efforts, he went along.

It was not until last month’s joint meeting between city and county commissions ended in no decision that Snyder concluded it was time to quit on the shelter, he said.

Atwell rejected the notion that the city is back where it started on homelessness, and said she still hopes some kind of shelter can be built here in the future.

Meanwhile, many of Marbut’s other recommendations, such small temporary shelters for families, are coming to life across the county. The city has begun an effort to help homeless veterans.

“Yes it’s small. It’s a step at a time,” Atwell said. “I’m always a believer in learning curves, and I think this was a big learning curve.”

<p><em>SARASOTA</em> - Last year, the arrival of homelessness consultant Robert Marbut seemed to signal a new day in the community's struggle with homelessness. </p><p>Seeking new answers to the old problem of panhandlers on Sarasota streets and growing homeless camps north of the downtown area, city and county leaders teamed up to hire an expert, Marbut, and listen to his advice. </p><p>Even then, it was obvious that the most difficult of Marbut's recommendations was the creation of a large-scale, come-as-you-are shelter for homeless adults. But with the support of City Hall and federal money, it seemed possible. Indeed, for several months, a 3-2 majority on the City Commission pushed the shelter through early planning stages.</p><p>That's why it might have seemed like an abrupt reversal late Monday when the City Commission voted unanimously to renounce the shelter. But commissioners said it was inevitable because the foundation of support for the shelter was too weak from the beginning.</p><p>Commissioner Shannon Snyder broke up the majority Monday by announcing that he would vote against the shelter, and Suzanne Atwell and Paul Caragiulo followed. </p><p>Now, if Sarasota County opts to push ahead with the plan, it will be without the city's help.</p><p>City commissioners gave different reasons for Monday's turn, but pointed to some key factors: </p><p>• A politically divided City Commission.</p><p>While the County Commission has often been united in pushing the shelter idea forward, city leaders have not. Vice Mayor Susan Chapman and Mayor Willie Shaw were opposed to locating a shelter in the city as soon as it was suggested and have continued to speak against it. </p><p>Commissioner Atwell said the lack of unity sent mixed messages to staff and eventually made the city's position untenable. “We had to work on this together and that was the glitch from the get-go,” she said. “It's been a struggle.”</p><p>• Resistance from residents and business owners.</p><p>Shelter discussions have been marked all along by a succession of Sarasota businesses owners and residents opposed to building a shelter. In particular, downtown merchants have opposed sites near the city center. </p><p>The same has been true of neighborhood associations in North Sarasota, where the city studied two possible sites. The public pressure buoyed shelter opponents on the commission and did little to encourage supporters. </p><p>• Friction among city and county officials.</p><p>As the months passed, city and county commissioners increasingly found themselves at odds and personally frustrated with each other, and with others involved in shelter talks. </p><p>“Sometimes relationships need a break,” Atwell said. “I think it was getting too divisive, and I think the city was always on the defensive.”</p><p>Marbut experienced testy exchanges with Chapman and other commissioners, while City Manager Tom Barwin heard criticism from Snyder, who blames him for the city's failure to work with the county.</p><p>“The city manager just wasn't going to do it,” Snyder said. “There's not a majority on the commission that's going to hold him accountable. They just don't have the stomach to do it.”</p><p>Barwin did not comment Tuesday on Snyder's criticism.</p><p>Snyder and Caragiulo are running for the Sarasota County Commission, competing against each other for the District 2 seat being vacated by the term-limited Joe Barbetta. </p><p>Snyder's support for the shelter was always tenuous, and his withdrawl from the commission's three-vote majority caused it to collapse. </p><p>“I tried telling the City Commission a year ago, 'Don't do this,' ” Snyder said. But once the City Commission voted last year to approve grant money for homeless efforts, he went along. </p><p>It was not until last month's joint meeting between city and county commissions ended in no decision that Snyder concluded it was time to quit on the shelter, he said. </p><p>Atwell rejected the notion that the city is back where it started on homelessness, and said she still hopes some kind of shelter can be built here in the future. </p><p>Meanwhile, many of Marbut's other recommendations, such small temporary shelters for families, are coming to life across the county. The city has begun an effort to help homeless veterans. </p><p>“Yes it's small. It's a step at a time,” Atwell said. “I'm always a believer in learning curves, and I think this was a big learning curve.”</p>